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Designing Flooring Solutions
Today, the bottom line is: more for less. Color is a compelling selling point,
“We recognize the pressure our customers are under,” observes Donati, and, in the past,
notes John Donati, the president of Centaur Floor Systems, the more color a client wanted, the
of Santa Barbara, California. “They want to upgrade, to higher the price. Now, however,
keep their facilities fresh and exciting, but, at the same suppliers are attempting to make
time, they may find it more difficult to obtain loans. The color an integral part of the sale.
timeframe, from initial contact to closing the deal, used to Attractive tints and tones have
be 30-60 days, but now it’s more like 90-120 days.” also become more affordable, thanks
That delay poses another complication: by the time the to new technology and surfaces that
club has budgeted for the initial estimate on new flooring, don’t require the traditional EPDM
the price may have risen because of the constantly changing chips that are frequently employed
costs of materials and manufacturing. to add color to recycled rubber and
“We understand what’s going on,” says Donati, “and, can raise cost. “We can take any
when we can, we try to make the deal more attractive by flooring surface that exists—con-
trimming our margins and offering better pricing.” crete, rubber, vinyl, wood, you name
One relatively new company, PLAE Performance it—and completely change its color,
Sports Flooring, of Canton, Georgia, was launched with seal and secure it, add logos, and fill
the economy firmly in mind. “PLAE was founded last in micro scratches,” Randy Swartz,
year to offer more cost-effective flooring options for the president of Aeson Flooring Sys-
clubs,” explains the company’s Brett Waits. It does so, in tems, of Philadelphia, enthuses
part, by offering products it can manufacture by sourcing about the company’s new Slip
directly and buying in bulk; selling directly to the end- NoMor finishing system. Slip NoMor,
user; employing a countrywide network of installers; and he explains, is an ADA-standard-
prenegotiating installation rates for customers. compliant sealant that can be used
to add color and reduce mainte-
value-added action
nance requirements for substantially
New materials and improved manufacturing processes
less than the cost of replacing an existing floor.
have also worked to restrain price increases, while, at
The trend toward eco-friendly solutions has also helped,
the same time, conferring extra value.
in some cases, to make flooring more affordable. “There’s
no question that the ‘green’ movement has helped to reduce
costs,” reports Steve Chase, the general manager of Fitness
Flooring, an Indianapolis, Indiana-based supplier. “While
the cost of oil used to produce new rubber has increased
substantially over the last five years, the cost of reground
rubber hasn’t. Recently, bamboo sports flooring has become
quite popular in the market; it’s a reasonably priced alterna-
tive that communicates a great green story and is as attrac-
tive and functional as a number of hardwoods.”
cost-constraining tips
There’s a surprisingly large number of other ways that
club operators can keep their facilities “fresh and exciting”
via new flooring without breaking the bank. Aeson, for
instance, is now offering discounts on remnants. “Design
is shaped by what’s going on in society philosophically
and economically,” points out Cynthia Maxion, a principal
of Maxion Design, in San Diego, California, “and in this
economy, people are looking for short-term options, like
remnants.” Another promising possibility: carpet squares.
“They’re simple to install and, if there’s a spill or stain,
easy to replace.”
Nonpermanent flooring, which, if necessary, can be
Instant makeover:
moved from one room—or facility—to another, addresses
aeson Flooring Systems’
a number of issues. Because club operators are less
Slip NoMor solution
inclined to buy buildings today, transportable flooring is
an appealing proposition. “We’ve essentially transformed
54
Club Business International | JANUARY 2010 | www.ihrsa.org
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